Norway statement on the report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund

Last updated: 3/27/2014 // Minister Consellor Mr. Knut Langeland delivered the Norwegian Statement to the General Assembly on the report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Fund on Wednesday 26th of March.

Norway thanks for the 2013 report of the PBC. Norway thanks the outgoing chair of the OC, Ambassador Vladimir Drobnjak, and we welcome the new chair Ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota. Norway joins others in thanking ASG Judy Cheng-Hopkins and the PBSO.

We are approaching the 10-year anniversary for the establishment of the Commission. The UN peacebuilding architecture has demonstrated its added value. The PBC has mostly fulfilled a crucial role in sustaining long-term attention to countries in consolidating peace, and in contributing to a conducive environment for long-term sustainable development, through its core function of advocacy, resource mobilization and forging coherence.

At the same time, we must acknowledge that there is a long way from New York to the field. As the report states, the commission is not positioned to coordinate operational activities in the field. Governments and the international community, through for example the SRSG, are the crucial actors at field level. It is encouraging to note the progress made in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Despite recent challenges, we hope that Burundi can move forward. We welcome the new chair of the CAR configuration and we are ready to contribute in stabilizing the country, so it can truly embark on the path of reconciliation and peacebuilding.

Peacebuilding is complex, and involves many stakeholders. Norway therefore welcomes the efforts to further strengthen the partnerships within the UN, and with international financial institutions, private sector and civil society. However, there seem to be an issue on how to operationalize partnerships.

Peace cannot be consolidated, unless, there is a genuine national ownership involving all segments of the country concerned. In this respect, we would in particular emphasis the role of women in the broad spectrum of peacebuilding, including economic empowerment. Norway calls for the full implementation of the Secretary General’s Seven Point Action on gender mainstreaming in peacebuilding.

There has been considerable improvement in the way the Peacebuilding Fund operates. Norway values its flexibility and readiness to take risks and provide catalytic funding. Norway allocates annually USD 5 million to the PBF. We encourage all member states to contribute to this Fund.

While much has been achieved with the PBC and the other components of the UN peacebuilding architecture, there remains considerable room for improvement. The observations made in the report on the way forward for the PBC are constructive and sensible. At the same time, we must admit that these challenges are far from new. The 2015 comprehensive review provides us an opportunity to operationalize the necessary corrective measures. From a Norwegian perspective, the review will have to address the issue of transition from a country configuration to more traditional long-term development cooperation with the UN. A country configuration should not last indefinitely. Furthermore, we should explore how the PBC can address conflict and post-conflict situations in countries, which are not formally on the PBC agenda. The PBC review cannot only be limited to the PBC, the PBF and the PBSO. We need a wider approach.

Finally, Norway looks forward to the first PBC Annual Session on 23 June and looks forward to contribute in the debate on “Sustainable support for peacebuilding: the domestic and international aspect”.